By Adam Turteltaub

I recently learned that at the US Department of Justice’s law library, one of the most common requests the librarians receive is for vintage dictionaries.  Why?  Because the lawyers often need to find out what the definition of a word was at the time a law was passed.

Meanings change over time in the law and in the vernacular.   Remember when describing something as “sick” meant that it was bad?  Now it’s the opposite.

Stacey Parks, Ethics Officer, Enterprise Operations and International Ethics at Lockheed Martin will be taking on our evolving language at the 2025 SCCE Compliance & Ethics Institute.  Her session is, appropriately, entitled, “Divided by a Common Language:  No Cap.  Here’s the Tea on How Being a Mom of a Teenager Made Me a Better Communicator.”

With five generations in the workplace today, it’s important to understand that each has its own communications style and what works for one may not for another.  Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha are all digital natives and are much more comfortable than their predecessors with online communication.  They also tend to prefer shorter, more succinct messaging, including pictures and diagrams.  For them, less is more.

Many are also “telephobic,” afraid of and uncomfortable using the phone for talking.  They prefer texting and have a poor understanding of telephone etiquette.

What’s a compliance team to do?  Think differently.  Use lots of imagery, and even memes to communicate.  Look to short form training, rather than long.

Learn their language, too, so you can be a better listener when they share their concerns.

And, before you dismiss these ideas, don’t forget how your felt when your parents (or grandparents) threw in the word “groovy” long after it was no longer so groovy to do so.

Listen in to this podcast and then be sure to join her in Nashville at the Compliance & Ethics Institute.  It’s going to be sick!